Door closer linkage



Feb. 26, 1957 E. SCHLAGE 2,782,453

. DOOR CLOSER LINKAGE Filed Feb. 11', 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Feb. 26, 1957 E. L. SCHLAGE 2,732,453

' 000R CLOSER LINKAGE Filed Feb. 11/1952 5 Sheets-Sheet s v2: Mr F W I N VEN TOR. FF/V557" L, 56/14/76! iinited rates Patent DOOR CLUSER LINKAGE Ernest L. Schlage, Burlingame, Calif., assigrior to Schlage Lock Company, a corporation Application February 11, 1952, Serial No. 270,908

2 Claims. (Cl. 1649) My invention relates to means for use in mounting door closers or door checks in connection with relatively movable door and door frame members. Customarily a door closer is mounted on the door panel or is mounted on the surrounding door frame and is connected to the other door member by some form of mechanism, usually a pair of links, so that the relative swinging movement of the door panel with respect to the door frame and the operation of the door closer mechanism appropriately correspond. While in many instances a very simple link-' age is effective, in other instances it is desired to utilize a standard door closer in extraordinary service. One of the factors is to use a door closer having an action effective through a predetermined number of degrees of rotation in installations wherein a different number of degrees of rotation occur between the door panel and the door frame. Another factor is to alter the general effect of the door closer mechanism in different parts of the swin 'ing movement of the door panel with respect to the door frame. T take care of these variable conditions, it is an object of my invention to provide a door closer linkage which can be utilized in connection with a substantially standard door closer and will afford a different characteristic motion or arrest of motion between a door panel and a door frame.

A further object of my invention is to provide a door closer linkage which will vary the effect upon each other of a door closer and. a door panel in different parts of the range of their relative movement.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a door closer linkage which can be employed with a substantially standard door closer to vary its effect.

A further object of the invention is to provide a door closer linkage which can be made to serve also as a means for holding a door in a set or a desired position.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a door closer linkage which can readily be arranged or varied to alter the effect of the door closer.

Other objects, together with the foregoing, are attained in the various embodiments of my invention described in the accompanying description and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a door closer and door closer" linkage constructed in accordance with my inventionand mounted on a door panel and door frame, parts of the door frame being shown incross section and parts of the' surrounding structure being broken away to reduce the size of the figure.

Figure 2 is across'section through a longitudinal median plane of'the linkage of Figure 1, the door closer for the most part being shown in side elevation.

Figure 3 is a diagram illustrating different angular motions of the door closer linkage with respect to the door and door frame on which it is mounted.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view showing in plan a modified form of door closer linkage.

Figure 5 is a similar view of the structure shown in Figure 4 in a different position.-

Patented Feb. 26, E957 Figure 6 is a fragmentary plan of a still further modified form of door closer linkage.

Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 6 but showing the linkage in a different position.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary view of a still further modified form of door closer linkage.

Figure 9 is a cross section on an enlarged scale, the plane of section being indicated by the line 9-9 of Figure 8.

Figure 10is a view similar to Figure 1 but showing a different form of door closer linkage.

Figure 11 is a cross section on an enlarged scale, the general plane of section being indicated by the line 11-11 of Figure 10 and with certain parts being broken away to reduce the size of the figure.

Figure 12 is a fragmentary View of a portion of a modified door closer linkage of the general type shown in Figure 10.

The door closer linkage of the invention has been embodied in a number of variant practical forms for standard and special environments and has been successfully form especially shown in Figures 1 and 2, the linkage is utilized in connection with a door frame 6 to which a door panel 7 i mounted for swinging movement by means of the customary hinge 8. In the opening operation, the

.door panel 7 swings counterclockwise with respect to the frame 6, as seen in Figure 1. Fastened to the door panel 7 is a channel bracket 9 in which is securely fixed a door closer housing 11. The detailed construction of the door closer mounting and of the closer and its pertinent structure is shown in my copending application entitled, Door Closer, filed June 29, 1.951, with Serial No. 234,362, now Patent No. 2,723,416, issued November 15, 1955, It is a characteristic of the door closer that the housing 11 is provided with a projecting circular shaft 12 rotatable about an axis 13 with respect to the housing, and controlling and being controlled by the internal checking and closing mechanism (not shown). In this way, the closer is appropriateiy operated and itself appropriately serves as 'a closer and check.

in accordance with the present invention, the shaft 12 is encompassed by a hub 16 which is a circular cylindrical member concentric about an axis 17 parallel to but spaced from the axis 13. The hub 16 is mounted on the housing by means of a plurality of fastenings 18 secured to housing 11 and an underlying auxiliary supporting block 19.

Iournaled on the hub is a first lever 21 held in place axially by the body or housing 11 of the door closer and by a peripheral flange 22 on the hub 16. The lever 21 is freely rotatable on the hub about the axis 17 as a center. The lever 21 is extended and at its end remote from the door. closer housing is provided with an upstanding pivot pin 23 forming part of an articulation 24 between the lever 21 and an extensible link 26. A pivot pin 27 is also included in the articulation and joins the spade end of the link 26 to a clip 28 which encompasses the pin 23.

The link 26 is extensible by virtue of a sleeve 31 which is engaged with threads 32 on one end of the rod 33 included in the link assembly. The link 26 at its opposite end is pierced by a cross pin 36 also engaging a clip 37 surrounding a pivot pin 38 held in a bracket 39 secured to a door frame 6. The articulations provided by the pins 23 and 27 and the clip 23 and also by the pins 36 and 3S and the clip 37 serve to take care not only of relative rotary movement between the ends of the link 26 and the lever 21 and the bracket 39 but also take care of any misalignment in a vertical direction.

The motion of the lever 21 about the axis 17 is utilized to provide a simultaneous motion of the shaft 12 about In the the axis 13 but at a different rate in different parts of the travel. For that reason the shaft 12 adjacent its upper end is provided with a square or noncircular portion 41 to which is atfixed a second lever 42. This latter lever is held in place by a finish washer 43 and a screw 44 engaging the shaft 12. The lever 42 for the most part overlies the lever 21 and means are provided for transferring motion between the lever 21 and the lever 42. In the web 46 of the first lever 21 a number of pin mountings are provided, each comprising an aperture 47 A shoulder pin 48 rests on the lever 21 and is secured in place by a nut 49 screwed to a shank 51 depending from the pin 48 and extending through any one of the apertures 47. The pin 48 is freely movable in a radial, longitudinal slot 52 formed in the second lever 42. A washer 53 and an enlarged terminal head 54 serve as additional bearings for the interconnection.

Since the lever 21 rotates about the axis 17, the pin 48 also swings in an arc about that axis but the lever 42 can swing only about the axis 13 of the shaft 12 spaced from the axis 17. Whereas the peripheral distance swung through by the pin 47 is identical for the lever 21 and for the lever 42, the angular distance moved by the lever 21 is not the same as the angular distance moved by the lever 42. As especially shown in Figure 3, when the lever 21 moves through, say, 90 degrees and the pin 48 swings through an equal angle, the pin 48 also translates in the slot 52 so that the second arm 42 swings through a considerably greater angle. In the initial position, the arm 42 is exactly superimposed over the arm 21 whereas in the rotated position the arm 42 is no longer immediately above the arm 21 but is disposed at a substantial angle to it. Thus, for a relative motion between the housing 11 and the arm 21 of 90 degrees, the rotation of the door closer shaft 12 is something in excess of that amount, for example 110 degrees. A closer having a llO degree range of movement can readily be adapted to an arm 21 driven only 90 degrees by the door. Whether the swing is 90 degrees or some other amount depends in part upon the particular position of the pin 48 in the selected one of the apertures 47. It is therefore possible to utilize a door closer having an effective travel of a predetermined number of degrees in connection with a door panel and linkage operating through some other number of degrees and to afford corresponding opening, closing and damping effects in the door motion.

As a variation of the linkage shown in Figures 1 to 3 inclusive, somewhat comparable results are obtained in the form shown in Figures 4 and 5. In this instance, the axis 61 of the shaft is eccentric to the axis 62 of a hub 63 solid on the closer housing. A first arm 64 is journaled on the hub 63 and is also provided with an upstanding pivot pin 66 to which a second lever 67 is fastened. The lever 67 has an elongated radial slot 68 in which the squared end 69 of the shaft is slidably disposed. With this arrangement and as especially shown in Figure 5, when the first arm 64 moves through approximately 60 degrees clockwise from it initial position, designated by the axis line 71, to its later position, designated by the axis line 72, the pivot pin 66 is moved approximately 90 degrees away from its initial position with respect to the axis 61. The second lever 67 and the shaft 69 are consequently rotated through approximately 90 degrees. Thus, for a door panel motion equivalent to say 60 degrees of motion by the first lever 64, a door closer operation corresponding to approximately 90 degrees, as evidenced by the rotation of the shaft 69, is accomplished with corresponding control and closure of the door panel.

As another variation, as shown in Figures 6 and 7, a. first lever 76 is journaled on a hub 77 concentric with an axis 78 displaced from but parallel to the axis 79 of the closure shaft 81' which has a squared upper end. The lever 76 is extended to aiford a mounting for a pivot pin 82 on which a link 83 is journaled. The other endv of the link is connected by a pivot pin 84 to a second lever 86 non-rotatably engaged with the square end shaft 81. As shown particularly in Figure 7, when the first lever 76 has swung through approximately 60 degrees from its initial position, designated by the axis 87, into another position designated by the axis 88, the pin 82 moves sufliciently so that the pin 84 is approximately at 45 degrees from its initial position with respect to the axis 79. A concomitant variation in the operation of the closer with respect to the door panel movement is therefore obtained.

A further variation is obtained by a construction illustrated in Figures 8 and 9 in which a first lever 91 is rotatable about an axis 92 at the center of a hub 93 on the door closer housing. The axis 94 of the door closer shaft is parallel to and is displaced from the axis 92. The shaft 96 of the closer terminates in a fastening 97 which firmly holds the hub of a second lever 98. The lever 98 is not rectilinear but is curved; for example, it is arcuate, and is fabricated to form an enclosed arcuate slot 101. In the slot is freely received a roller follower 102 journaled on a pin 103 upstanding from the web 104 of the first lever 91. A spacer 106 and an enlarged head 107 locate the roller 102 appropriately between the walls of the slot 101.

In this instance, motion of the first lever 91 about the axis 92 as a center produces a simultaneous rotation of the lever 98 about the axis 94 and correspondingly operates the door closer. However, since the slot 101 is arcuate, a different rotation of the door closer shaft 96 is provided as compared to what it would be with a radial or rectilinear slot. There is a corresponding difference in response of the door closer to door panel motion and a diiferent effect of the closer upon the panel. The contour of the slot 101 is not necessarily arcuate but can be any curve which produces the desired relative motion of the door panel with respect to the motion of the door closer itself.

As a further variation, the dool closer 111. shown in Figures 10 and 11 and otherwise comparable to the closer shown in Figures 1 and 2, is mounted on a door panel 112 which swings with respect to a door frame 113. The closer 111 has a projecting squared shaft 114 rotatable about an 'axis 116. A first arm 117 is secured to the squared shaft 114 for rotation together with the shaft. The outboard end of the first arm 117 is provided with an articulation 118 joining the arm to an extensible link 119. The link is not only made up of a threaded rod 121 and a correspondingly threaded sleeve 122, but also contains an internal freely slidable rod 123 connected by a pivot mount 124 to a bracket 126 secured to the door frame 113. The axis of the pivot 124 is parallel to but substantially spaced from the axis 116.

While the motion of the door closer with respect to the door panel would be substantially standard if the link 119 were, although adjustable, of fixed dimension during operation of the door closer, I have provided a means for varying the operation of the closer with respect to standard motion of the door panel. That is accomplished by extending the link sleeve 122, especially as shown in Figure 11 and providing it with a pivot pin 128 which also engages the sleeve 129 of a slider 131. The slider is a member movable lengthwise in translation on a supporting rod 132 mounted in cars 133 and 134 projecting from the bracket 126. p

p In the operation of this device, the length of the link 119 between the pivot point 124 and that of the articulation 118 is not fixed. For any adjustment between the threaded portions of the link as established by relative rotation of the sleeve 122 and the rod 121, there is in addition a relative sliding movement between the sleeve 122 and the rod 123. This is for the reason that as the rod 123 rotates about the axis of the pivot 124, the slider 131 is moved lengthwise on the rod 132 and thus extends or retracts the sleeve 122 with respect to the fixed axis of the pivot 124. This produces a variation in response of the door closer to the movement of the door panel and vice versa.

As a further modification there is illustrated in Figure 12 a structure generally like that in Figures and 11 except that the link sleeve 141 is provided with an interior, relatively slidable rod 142 connected by a pivot 143 to a bracket 144 secured to the door frame 146. There is provided a manually adjustable set screw 147 in the sleeve 141 so that, if desired, the set screw can be tightened and the rod 142 and the tube 141 can be locked together to serve as a fixed link in the standard way. This may also under some circumstances have the effect, due to angularity of the remaining structure, of serving to prevent motion of the interconnected links. In that case, when the set screw 147 is tightened, it serves as a hold open device for preventing movement of the door panel.

The bracket 144 is provided with ears 148 and 149 in which a cross rod 151 is mounted. Slidable on that rod is a slider 152. A link 153 is at one end connected by a pivot pin 154 to an ear 156 on the slider 152 and at the other end is connected by a pivot pin 157 to the sleeve 141. As the sleeve 141 rotates about the axis of the pivot pin 143 and as the sleeve 141 tranlsates axially with respect to the rod 142, those motions or either of them are transmitted by the link 153 to the slider 152 and produce a corresponding motion of the slider on the rod 151. Considered conversely, the slider 152 serves as a constraint efiective, although free for linear motion along the rod 151, to produce a corresponding constraint, through the link 153, of the sleeve 141. The motion of the sleeve 141 therefore depends not only upon the pivot connection 143 and the sliding connection with the rod 142 as well as upon the pivot connection of an articulation such as 118 but also upon the motion of the slider 152 in a rectilinear path.

Because of the number of degrees of freedom provided when the link 141 is included with the rest of the closer mechanism, there may be indeterminacy in the motion of the sleeve 141. For that reason, a spring 158 is slipped over the rod 151 and is interposed between the ear 143 and the slider 152. The tendency is always for the slider to move the tube 141 in a direction radially away from the axis of the pivot 143. This structure likewise provides a variation in the operation of the closer with respect to the operation of the door panel so that variations in relative movement can readily be afforded.

What is claimed is:

1. A door closer linkage comprising a housing, a shaft rotatable in said housing about a first axis, a hub on said housing concentric with a second axis parallel to said first axis, a first lever journaled on said hub, a second lever fast on said shaft, said second lever having a slot therein, said first lever having a plurality of pin mountings thereon, and a pin in one of said mountings and extending into said slot.

2. A door closer linkage for use between a relatively moving door member and a door frame member comprising a housing fast on one of said members, a shaft journaled in said housing, a hub on said housing eccentrically disposed with respect to said shaft, a first lever journ-aled on said hub, a second lever fast on said shaft, means for connecting said first lever and said second lever for motion in unison, a link, and articulations connecting said link to said first lever and to the other of said members.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 220,196 Ward Sept. 30, 1879 730,417 Taylor June 9, 1903 913,320 Sulser Feb. 23, 1909 1,609,292 Burch Dec. 7, 1926 2,170,982 Ellinwood Aug. 29, 1939 FOREIGN PATENTS 161,780 Switzerland Aug. 1, 1933 

